A Galarian Pokémon experience review Downloadable content edition (Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield

By Aaron James Stead 20/07/2025

When Pokémon Sword and Shield first launched, the games received a mixed reception. While some praised the innovations—like the Wild Area and improved visuals—others were critical of missing features and the controversial decision to limit the Pokédex. However, Game Freak’s approach to post-launch content helped reshape the overall experience through two major downloadable expansions: The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra. These DLCs expanded the Galar region with new environments, storylines, gameplay mechanics, and the return of many beloved Pokémon. Rather than releasing a traditional third version—as seen with Emerald, Platinum, and more recently, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon—Game Freak adopted a modern expansion model that allowed players to continue their journey without starting over. In this article, I’ll be exploring what made these DLCs stand out, and where they excelled—or fell short—in enriching the world of Pokémon Sword and Shield.

The first expansion, The Isle of Armor, launched on June 17, 2020. It marked the first time a mainline Pokémon game received direct story extensions rather than a revised re-release. Set on a warm, coastal island east of mainland Galar, the DLC introduces players to a new training dojo run by Mustard, a former Champion with a colorful personality. Alongside a new rival—Klara in Sword or Avery in Shield—players are taken under Mustard’s wing to hone their skills.

The central story revolves around Kubfu, a new Legendary Fighting-type Pokémon. Players are tasked with bonding with Kubfu and guiding it through a trial of strength. Depending on the chosen path, Kubfu evolves into one of two distinct forms of Urshifu: Single Strike Style (Fighting/Dark) or Rapid Strike Style (Fighting/Water). The evolution process is surprisingly heartfelt, emphasizing themes of trust, growth, and mentorship.

The Isle of Armor also builds on the Wild Area concept, featuring a fully explorable, open-world map with camera control, dynamic weather, and diverse environments—from beaches and forests to caves and wetlands. New features like the Cram-o-Matic (an item-combining machine) and Restricted Sparring (a high-level battle mode with strict conditions) provided additional post-game content for dedicated players.

While The Isle of Armor was appreciated for its open-ended design and more personal, character-driven story, some felt it lacked the narrative depth or tension expected from paid content. Still, it served as a relaxed, exploration-focused detour from the main game’s more structured storyline.

A few months later, in October 2020, the second expansion, The Crown Tundra, took players in a very different direction—both thematically and structurally. Set in a snowy, mountainous region in the south of Galar, this DLC leans heavily into mythology, legends, and open-ended exploration. It quickly became the more expansive and lore-rich of the two.

Unlike traditional linear storytelling, The Crown Tundra features three main questlines that can be completed in any order:

The King of Bountiful Harvests follows the mysterious Psychic/Grass-type Legendary Pokémon Calyrex, who seeks to restore its lost power and connection with its steed—Glastrier (Ice-type) or Spectrier (Ghost-type)—based on player choices.

The Legendary Titans quest has players uncover ancient ruins across the tundra to awaken Regirock, Regice, and Registeel, culminating in a choice between two new additions to the Regi family: Regieleki or Regidrago.

The Legendary Bird Hunt & Galarian Star Tournament sees the return of the legendary bird trio—Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres—now in Galarian forms with new typings and behavior. This arc concludes with the Galarian Star Tournament, where players can team up with familiar faces for tag-team battles.

One of the standout additions in this DLC is Dynamax Adventures, a cooperative multiplayer mode where players navigate a series of Max Raid Battles with rental Pokémon, culminating in an encounter with a random Legendary Pokémon. It not only introduced a new gameplay loop but also made every Legendary from past generations available once again, making it a dream come true for collectors and competitive players alike.

The Crown Tundra was widely praised for its atmospheric storytelling, deeper lore, and meaningful content. It struck a strong balance between nostalgia and innovation, offering a rich and satisfying expansion to the world of Galar.

This quest culminates with an encounter against Necrozma, the prism Pokémon who serves as the boss of the Ultra Beast storyline. Although Necrozma originally appeared in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, its inclusion here ties together the wider multiverse lore that Pokémon has slowly built up across generations. It was an exciting moment for fans of Gen VII, as well as for those invested in the overarching mythos of the Pokémon world.

The inclusion of Ultra Beasts, combined with the already large roster of returning Legendaries, made The Crown Tundra feel like the ultimate gathering of Pokémon mythology. And thanks to Dynamax Adventures, these encounters were made accessible and cooperative, offering replayability and incentive to work with others.

Here are the DLC’s legendaries: